Conveyer.



' 1001800000. P-ATENTBD OCT. 10, 1005- T. s. MILLER.

GONVBYBR. APPLIOATIOH FILED OGIX 31AM).

3 8BBETS-SIIBET 1.

04. JZQMM v K M.

No. 801,600. PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905-.

' T. S. MILLER.

CONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31,1900.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

623M 3. 4mm 0 32% M44 wasgwmz oza awiwwww PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905.

T. S. MILLER.

OONVEYERV.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31,1000.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

WM c 00 e a THOMAS SPENCER MILLER, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

CONVEYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application filed October SI, 1900. Serial No. 35,006.

To 117/ It'll 07M it 711117 PUIH'I'YII/J Be it known that I, THOMAS Srnxeur. MIL- LEH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of South Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Conveyor, of which the following is a full. clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement which may be applied to conveyors of that kind which are provided with an inclined trackway down which the carriage runs of its own weight and up which it is pulled by the hoistcarriage.

My invention comprises certain novel features which will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is an elevation showing a short section of a trackway and the carriage. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the carriage, taken at right angles to Fig. 1; and Figs. 3 and e are details showing in elevation the catch-and-tripmechanism in different positions, and Fig. 5 shows a modification of the device which may be used under certain conditions. Fig. 6 is a section of the trackway, showing a series of the carriagestops.

Although I have herein stated that my device is designed for use upon that class of trackways which are inclined, it is evident that it might be used upon horizontal trackways by ing-rope after the load has been hoisted to the providing a return-rope and counterweight or equivalent device by which the carriage 5 to hold the pulley D raised unless there is a may be returned to the point from which the load is hoisted. I have herein shown the trackway as constructed of two channel-bars A, which are slightly separated from each other,

the flat surfaces thereof being adjacent and depends upon the points where the links H the flanges extending outwardly to form tracks for the reception of wheels C of the carriage. It is evident that any other desired form of trackway may be used, even a czble, if desired.

The carriage-frame B has arms extending upwardly on each side of the trackway and 5 supporting-pivots upon which the wheels C turn. \Vithin this frame are also mounted two wheels or pulleys D and D, which are adapted to receive the hoist-rope I. hoist-rope passes about the pulley D and then The about the pulley I)" in the fall-block S, thence upward and about the pulley D in the carriage, and then has its ends secured to the fall-block S. This construction, so far as described, is the ordinary carriage and fall-block used in connection with conveyors of various sorts. In some cases it might be desired to do away with the fall-block and the pulley D and have the load secured directly to the end of the hoist-rope. This is, however, an immaterial matter and does not effect the scope of my invention. The pulley D is mounted to have slight vertical movement in the carriage-frame, the frame being provided with a slot Z), permitting the vertical movement of the pulley-axis. To the end of this pulleyaxis, preferably at each side of the carriageframe, is secured a bar or lever E, which is pivoted by one end to the carriage-frame and at its other end has a link H secured thereto. Abutments (l and d are secured. respectively, to the carriage-frame and to the bar or lever 3 E, and between them is placed a spiral spring F. This spring acts to raise the axis of the pulley D to the upper portion of the slot 1). .Pivoted to the carriage-frame at one or both sides of the same is a plate G, which carries a brakeblock G, which projects over the flange of the trackway and is adapted to engage the upper surfaee thereof when the plate Gr is pulled downward. The link H connects the lever E and the plate G. I have herein shown the plate G as being provided with a series of' holes 7 and the lever E with a series of holes a, so that the point at which the link H is secured to each may be adjusted as desired. The springsF are of sufficient strength load upon the carriage. In such case the springs will be compressed, thus drawing down the levers E and applying the brakes. The force with which the brakes are applied are connected with the levers E and the brakes Ur. The friction caused by the application of the brakes should be snflicient in connection with the inclination of the trackway to prevent the carriage from traveling up the trackway until the fall-block has risen into contact with the carriage. lVhen the block D strikes the carriage, of course it can rise no more, and further hauling in upon the rope I can only result in movement of the carriage upon the trackway. \Vhile the brake-blocks G, being continually in action while the carriage is loaded, offer a resistance, this loss of efliciency is unimportant, as except for a very flat trackway this resistance is a small part of the whole. The amount of this friction, Which is constant during the hoisting and transferring of the load, will of course vary with the inclination of the trackway. When the inclination of the trackway is considerable, the links H will be attached either farther toward the end of the lever E or nearer to the pivot of the brake, thus re,

ducing the force of application of the brake. Where the inclination of the trackway is small, the link H will be attached fartherfrom the end of the lever E or nearer to the outer end of the brake Gr, thus increasing the force of application of the brake.

In a device constructed substantially on the lines of the apparatus herein shown the braking power required is reduced to Zero when the trackway is at an angle of about twenty degrees. In this case the brake is unnecessary; but where the angle of inclination is less than twenty degrees a brake is necessary to the proper operation of the device, and it may be omitted, as has been indicated in Fig. 5, which in construction is the same as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that the brake and its operating mechanism is omitted. These figures would of course vary if the hoist was rigged for greater or less power. If it was a direct hoist without any multiplication of the power, the angle would be much greater thantwenty degrees, while if the hoist was made of greater power the angle would be less than twenty degrees. The angle where a brake begins to be necessary is that angle where the strain upon the rope just equals the resistance due to moving the weight of carriage and load up the incline plus the friction in the carriage and hoist. This angle might be called the critical angle.

In connection with the friction device a positively-acting stop may be used. This is essential where the angle of the trackway is greater than the critical angle. Such a stop is also provided wherever it is desired to cause the carriage to stop, as for the purpose of raising or lowering the load. Such a stop is shown in detail in Figs. 3 and i. The catch as therein shown consists of a bar K, which is pivoted to the trackway and extends upward and alongside of the trackway. In the construction of trackway herein shown this bar is pivoted between the two channel-bars forming the trackway and is adapted to swing upward between said channel-bars to permit passage of the carriage. A characteristic feature of this catch is that the carriage may entirely pass it or as many of them as desired. The catch at its upper end, or that end which is toward the upper end of the trackway, is provided with a shoulder is, which is adapted to engage a member on upon the carriage, so as to prevent return of the carriage down the trackway. To prevent said member from slipping off of said shoulder, a slight projection or tooth in is provided at the lower end of the said shoulder. The upper or swinging end of the bar K is a finger extending in the direction of the body of the catch. A pin a is also provided to prevent the swinging end of the catch from dropping too far. A trip device, by means of which the carriage may be enabled to pass the catch when coming from the upper end of the trackway, is provided and consists of a bar L, which is pivoted to the trackway and which has a segment-plate L secured thereto and engaging the under surface of the finger 70 of the catch. To prevent the possibility of the member m of the carriage being jammed by the trip, the bar L thereof is provided with a slot through which the pivot-pin 0 passes, so that in case the extreme point of the trip should engage the member m the trip will be raised.

The operation of this device is as follows; As the carriage travels up the inclined trackway the member m thereof, which lies close beneath the trackway, engages the inclined under surface of the catch, so as to raise it. As soon as the member m passes the shoulder 7:; the catch will drop into such position that it will prevent the backward return of the member m, and thus hold the carriage in place. The shoulder 7n and the trip L are separated a sufiicient distance to permit the member m lying between them. The trip device will permit the member on to pass it in either direction. In order to disengage the catch from the member m, and thus to permit the carriage returning down the inclined trackway, the carriage must first be run upward ashort distance sufiicient to entirely pass the trip, so that the member m is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4. The position of said member when the carriage is locked is shown by the dotted lines at m in Fig. 4. With the member m above the trip if the carriage is then permitted to run down the incline it will first engage the trip and swing it into the position shown in Fig. 3, in which position the segment L has lifted the catch, so that the member on will pass beneath the toe in, and thus permit the carriage passing entirely by the catch.

l/Vith the form of catch and trip herein shown the carriage may completely pass said trip, and it is therefore possible to use as many of these devices along the trackway as desired. This is due to two reasons-first,

because the catch and trip are secured beneath the rolling-surface of the wheels and the car-- riage-frame may be made sufficiently open to pass by them, andfsecond, because the trackway, the catch, and trip are so constructed that the catch and trip may swing within the outline of the trackway. For the first reason it is possible to use the catch and trip upon a cableway and have the carriage entirely pass the same, so that a series of catches, as shown in Fig. 6, may be used and the load hoisted and lowered at any of a series of points. In order to raise the catch so that it will not engage and hold the carriage againstmovement down the incline, it is necessary that the member 11/, which engages the catch, should engage the trip before the catch. The member 1/1 is long enough to bridge the space between the trip and catch when the latter is swung baclnvarchas shown in Fig. 3. In passing the other way that is, upward along the trackway the catch will be raised by engagel ment with its under inclined surface. The

mutual cooperation of the brake and locl mechamsm may be further explained as fol- Suppose a power of eleven hundred I lows:

pounds were required to move the carriage l up the incline, nine hundred pounds being;

due to gravity and two hundred pounds due to the brake. After the load has traveled some distance up the incline if the tension on the rope I is reduced below eleven hundred pounds the carriage will stop, and if the tension is reduced to something less than one 1 thousand pounds the load will descend vertically. Somewhere between these two tensions the carriage would probably travel down the trackway by gravity and would do so if the.

locking mechanism K were not present to prevent it. of the carriage starting to run away as soon as the brake was released by the dumping of the load were it not for the presence of the locking mechanism K.

Moreover, there would be danger The construction herein shown and de-l i scribed is intended only -to illustrate a form which is now preferred by me.

I am aware that the manner of carrying out my invention may be widely varied without departing from its spirit, and I have herein mentioned some of these ways and in Fig. 5

have shown a modification which dispenses with the brake and which may be used where the inclination of the trackway exceeds what I have herein termed the crit1calanglc.

I do not therefore wish to be limited to the l riage, a movable brake adapted to engage the j traclzway, and connections from the brake to f the yieldingsupport for the hoisting-cable normally holding the brake out of action wherej by the brake is applied by the load.

trackway and a carriage adapted to travel thereon, of a brake adapted to engage the traekway, a spring-supportcd pulley carrying the hoisting-rope, and connections from said pulley to the brake.

3. In a conveyer the combination with a trackway and a carriage adapted to travel thereon, of a brake adapted to engage the trackway, a spring-supported pulley carrying the hoistingrope, and adjustable connections from said pulley to the brake whereby the force of application of the brake may be varied.

In a conveyer the combination with a tracitway and a carriage adapted to travel thereon, of a brake adapted to engage with the trackway, a spring-supported pulley carrying the hoisting-rope, a lever pivoted to the carriage-frame and said pulley, and connections from said lever to the brake.

In a conveyer the combination with a tracliway and a carriage adapted to travel thereon, of a brake adapted to engage the trackway, a spring-supported pulley carrying the hoisting-rope, a lever pivoted to the carriage-frame and said pulley, said lever and brake having a series of holes, and a link adapted to connect brake and lever by said holes.

6. In a conveyer in combination, a trackway, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, a brake and a positive lock acting between the carriage and the traclnvay, and means for controlling the action of said brake and lock one by the load upon the carriage and the other by the movement of the carriage.

T. In a conveyer in combination a trackway, a load-carriage adapted to travel thereon, ahoistinga'ope, a brake and means for positively locking the carriage to the trackway. and means for controlling the action of the brake, and the locking mechanism. one by the strain on the hoisting-rope and the other by the movement of the hoisting-rope.

S. In a conveyer, the combination with a tracluvay, and a carriage thereon, of a carriage catch or lock and a connection between said catch and the trackway; both said connection and said catch in its retracted position being swung within the line of the tracl way and out of the line of travel of any part of the carriage whereby the carriage is free to pass said catch in its retracted position and its connection with the traclnvay.

9. In a conveyor, the combination with a trackway and a carriage thereon, of a carriage catch or lock, a lifter therefor and connections between said catch and lifter and the traclnvay out of the line of travel of the carriage whereby when said catch is in retracted position within the line of the tracliway said carriage may pass said connections without being obstructed thereby.

10. In a conveyer, the combination with a 2. In a conveyer the combination with a l trackway and a carriage thereon,of a carriage catch or lock and connections between the same and the trackway; said connections and catch in its retracted position being pocketed in said trackway and thereby permitting the unobstructed passage of the carriage.

11. In a conveyer the combination with a trackway, and a carriage movable thereon of a series of devices spaced along the trackway, each consisting of a catch capable of engaging and holding the carriage against movement in one direction, and a lifter adapted when first engaged by the carriage from the same direction to prevent action of said catch, and supporting mechanism for said catch and lifter removed from the path of the carriage whereby the carriage may continue along said trackway past said supporting mechanism.

12. In a conveyer the combination with a trackway, and a carriage movable thereon of a series of devices spaced along the trackway and adapted to permit unobstructed passage of the carriage, each consisting of a catch capable of engaging and holding the carriage against movement in one direction, and a lifter adapted whenfirst engaged by the carriage from the same direction to prevent action of said catch, and supporting mechanism for said catch and lifter removed from the path of the carriage whereby the carriage may continue along said trackway past said supporting mechanism.

13. In a conveyer the combination with a trackway, and a carriage movable thereon of a series of devices spaced along the trackway, each consisting of a catch capable of engaging and holding the carriage against movement in one direction, and means controlled by the movement of the carriage whereby said catch may be made operative or inoperative, and supporting mechanism for said catch and lifter removed from the path of the carriage whereby the carriage may continue along said trackway past said supporting mechanism.

14. In a conveyer, in combination, a trackway, a carriage thereon, a catch and a lifter therefor supported from the trackway; said trackway containing a recess within which said catch and lifter swing to permit unobstructed passage of the carriage.

15. In a conveyer, the combination with a trackway and a carriage thereon, of a catch and a lifter therefor; the point of engagement of said catch with the carriage being located beneath the trackway, said catch being movable to position within the outline of the trackand capable of permitting the unobstructed passage of the carriage.

16. In a conveyer the combination with a trackway and a carriage thereon, of a catch and a lifter therefor both supported separately and from the trackway.

17. In a conveyer the combination with an open trackway, a carriage movable thereon and provided with a catch-engaging member, of a fixedly-located catch and a lifter therefor,

the catch and lifter being adapted to move into the opening within the trackway to permit unobstructed passage of the carriage and being separated lengthwise the trackway sufliciently to permit the catch-engaging member of the carriage to lie between them, said catch being moved aside by the catch-engaging member when advancing and adapted when unrestrained to engage and hold said carriage member upon its return, the lifter being movable by said catch-engaging member to permit its passage in either direction, and said lifter when engaged by the return movement of the carriage engaging the catch to throw it out of action.

18. In a conveyer the combination with an inclined trackway, a carriage movable thereon and a hoist-cable adapted to draw the carriage up the incline, of a catch adapted to engage and hold the carriage against return down the incline, a trip supported from the trackway above the catch and yielding to permit the carriage passing in either direction, and adapted when engaged by the carriage on its return to raise the catch into inoperative position.

19. In a conveyer the combination with a load-carrier having a catch engaging or looking member, of a catch in the path of said locking member adapted to engage it to prevent the carriers return, and a catch-neutralizing device supported independently of the catch and operating by engagement of the locking member therewith during a return movement of the carriage to neutralize the catch. a

20. In a conveyer the combination with a load-carrier and a locking member movable therewith, of a catch in the path of said looking member adapted to engage it to prevent the carriers return, a swinging trip independent of the catch and engaged by said locking member upon its said return movement to move said catch out of its engaging position, said catch and trip being supported upon the trackway and permitting unobstructed passage of the carriage.

21. In a hoisting and conveying device the combination with a trackway consisting of separated members, a carriage adapted to travel on said trackway, and having a stopengaging member, and a hoisting and conveying rope passing through said carriage, of a catch or stop adapted to be lifted between the members of said trackway and to engage the carriage to prevent its return, a catchlifter or trip between said track'way members adapted when engaged by the carriage inadvance of the catch to lift said catch clear of the carriage.

22. In a conveyer the combination with an inclined trackway, a carriage adapted to travel on said trackway, and a load-hoisting cable passing through said carriage, of a catch for said carriage movable within the trackwayto permit passage of the carriage, and a trip for IIO neutralizing said catch actuated by the downward movement of the carriage from a point above said trip.

23. In a conveyer the combination with a traekway and a carriage traveling thereon, ot' a catch supported from and beneath the trackway, a catch-engaging member upon the carriage adapted to pass beneath and to lift the catch, and a litter supported from and beneath the traclcway and adapted when moved by the carriage toward the catch to move said catch into inoperative position.

24. A catch device for inclined-tracluvay i eonveyers comprising a bar pivoted to and extending upwardly along the traclcway, said bar 1 having a shoulder adapted to engage and hold the carriage against return down the track- 5 way, and a tinger extending beyond said shouli der, and a trip pivoted upon the traclnvay and i engaging the under surface of said linger, said catch and trip being engaged by a member upon the carriage in its passage.

25. A catch device for inclined-traclovay conveyers comprising a bar pivoted to and extending upwardly along the trackway, said bar having a shoulder adapted to engage and hold the carriage against return down the trackway, and also a finger extending beyond said 1 shoulder, and a trip having a sliding pivotal support upon the trackway and engaging the under surface of said finger, said catch and trip being engaged by a member upon the carriage in its passage, the trip being sufficiently removed from the shoulder to permit said member lying between them. l

26. in a conveyor, in combination, a trackway, a carriage thereon, means constantly urging the carriage to move in one direction, a hoist-rope acting to move the carriage in the other direction and a series of stops distributed along the traclcwav to hold the carriage against movement by said constantly-11rging means and mechanism pivotally connecting said stops with said traclcway and removed from the pathway of said carriage whereby the unobstructed passage of said carriage is permitted when said stops are retracted.

27. in a conveyer, in combination, an inclined trackway, a "arriage adapted to travel down said traekway by gravity, a hoist-rope extemling to the carriage and adapted to also draw the carriage up the incline, a series of stops distributed along the trachway, supporting mechanism therefor, said stops and their supporting mechanism and the carriage being adapted to permit the carriage to freely pass the stops in either direction, and means operated through the hoist-rope for bringing the stop desired into action to hold the carriage.

28. In a conveyer in combination, a trackf way, a carriage thereon, a hoist-rope extending to the carriage, a carriage-stop, a support for thestop permitting the passage of the carriage, and means operated through thehoistrope for bringing the stop into action.

THOMAS SPENCER MILLER.

Witnesses:

ll. L. ReYNoLns, CHAS. J. HATIIJEN. 

